Protecting yourself in an emergency

Commentary: Asia tragedy is a reminder to prepare

By

MarshallLoeb and Kelli B. Grant

NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Thankfully, the United States has never suffered anything like the tsunami in the Indian Ocean, which so far has claimed more than 114,000 lives and left a dozen nations with billions of dollars in damage.

But the United States every year is struck by scores of other deadly natural disasters -- hurricanes, floods, raging brush fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, torrential rains, bellicose winter storms and more. Thousands of Americans are killed each year by such acts of God.

So it is wise to take some precautions.

Think of it this way: We are, after all, talking about protecting and preserving assets. Your life is your greatest asset, and preparing now for emergencies can also help you save other assets, including your home and personal belongings.

Here are some simple, commonsense things you can do in advance to protect yourself, your family and your home against a natural disaster or even a terrorist attack:

No matter where you live, be prepared for power blackouts. They can be a secondary effect of natural disasters or can occur independently from disrupted power flow, from causes such as car accidents or system failures.

For advice on precautions to take regarding specific natural disasters, visit the Red Cross at www.redcross.org, or the Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.fema.gov.

Ask about your area's warning sirens. You should know what they sound like, and what the appropriate course of action is if you hear them. If you or a family member has a disability, find out what county or city assistance will be available in an emergency situation.

Know the difference between a "watch" and a "warning" -- a watch means severe weather is a possibility, a warning means it is happening or imminent.

Next, make a family plan. The Red Cross recommends that you confer with your family to figure out how you'll respond in an emergency. Determine the safest places inside your house for each kind of emergency, whether it be an earthquake or a tornado.

Pick two places outside your home for the family members to meet. One should be nearby, in the case of a fire or other emergency inside your home. The other meeting place should be somewhere you'll go should an emergency arise requiring evacuation, or in event that you cannot return to your home.

Find out how emergency situations will be handled at places where your family spends a significant amount of time. For example, if you have children in daycare or school, ask about the safety and evacuation procedures. Meanwhile, determine what procedures will be followed at your workplace.

Discuss how you'll get in touch with each other. Pick a family member or close friend who lives out of state - it's often easier to make long-distance calls in an emergency situation, when the local lines are saturated by people trying to reach relatives. Ask your contact to act as a message center for the family in an emergency. Make sure that everyone knows that person's phone number.

Take special precautions to ensure that any young children know your family's emergency plan. You might practice your emergency drills with them. Try to get them to memorize numbers for an emergency. Make sure they carry an index card with such important information.

After you have made a family plan, gather important financial and personal information into one safe location. Keeping all your key documents in one place means that no matter what the emergency - a fire in your home or a three-hour evacuation notice -- you can concentrate on getting away safely. You won't need to go rifling through your filing cabinet for significant documents. You should collect:

Also get a list of phone numbers, mailing and e-mail addresses for important contacts, including:

Banks and other financial institutions

Employers

Insurance agents

Power, light, gas and other utility companies

Relatives, close friends and other emergency contacts

Put these documents in sealable plastic bags, and keep them in a secure container. If possible, use a fireproof box. Make sure each family member knows where to find it.

Putting together kits of essential items is another vital part of preparing for a natural disaster, terrorist attack or other emergency. You need not collect massive amounts of duct tape and plastic sheeting, or build a makeshift bomb shelter in your garage. Just keep enough emergency supplies to sustain each member of your family for three to seven days. Most items you can easily find around the house.

The idea is to have an emergency kit in two or three places so that no matter how, when or what kind of disaster strikes, you're ready to grab what you need and go. You should have one kit at home, preferably packed into a container or two that you could bring with you in the event of an evacuation. You should also have a smaller emergency kit in your car so that you're prepared, should you be stuck on the highway in a severe winter storm like so many people were in the Midwest before Christmas. You might also prepare a small kit to keep at work.

FEMA reports that there are six essential supplies you will need: water, food, first aid supplies, clothing and bedding, tools and special needs items. More specifically, you should include:

Three gallons of bottled water per person

Nonperishable food such as canned or dried items

Non-electric can opener

Battery-operated radio with extra batteries

Flashlight and batteries

Common nonprescription medications, such as pain reliever and antacids

Soap

Plastic garbage bags

Toilet paper or paper towels

Sturdy shoes

Work gloves

Rain gear

Prescription medications

A change of clothes

Bedding, including sleeping bags and pillows

Car keys and maps

Cash, including several rolls of quarters

For full lists of suggested items, visit www.redcross.org or www.fema.gov. If you don't have time to assemble supplies, the Red Cross sells basic emergency bags, first aid kits and portable supply rolls on its Web site.

Intraday Data provided by SIX Financial Information and subject to terms of use. Historical and current end-of-day data provided by SIX Financial Information. All quotes are in local exchange time. Real-time last sale data for U.S. stock quotes reflect trades reported through Nasdaq only. Intraday data delayed at least 15 minutes or per exchange requirements.